Means for securing the tires of automobiles and other vehicles.



` A. J. MIGHB MEANS FOR SEGURING THE TIRES OP AUT LES AND OTHER VEHICLES.

` APPLICATION FILED JULY 3l, 1907.

927,266. Patented 1 6,

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l Snoemioz Witwe/:mao f C y W v @Hoamuif A. J. MICHELIN. MEANS TOR SBGURING` THE TIRES 0T AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 1907. 927,266. Patented July 6, 1909.

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mf LW'W gZ/MMWWM W GHOMWJJ A. J.'MIGHELIN MEANS FOR SECURING THE TIRES 0I' AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER VEHICLES. APPLIUATION FILED JULY 31, 1907.

927,266. Patented July 6, 1909.

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'c 29th/Lessen l l @Hof/"m v A. J. MICHELIN.

MEANS FOR sEcURING THB TIRES 0F AUTOMOBILES; AND oTHER VEHIGLES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 1907.

927,266. I I Patented July 6,1909.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

ANDR JULS MICHELIN, OF CLERMONT-FERRAND, FRANCE.

MEANS FOR SECURING THE TIRES 0F AUTOMOBILES ANDQOTHIER VHICLES.

Patented .ruiy e, i909.

Application med. July 31, 1907. Serial No. 386,471.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDR JULs MiCHE- LIN, manufacturer, of the Republic of France, residing at Clermont-Ferrand, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Securing the Tires of Automobiles and other Vehicles; and I do here'- by declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description .o the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine.

My invention relates to improvements in tires and has for its ob'ect to providemeans whereby an inflated ve icle tire, carried by a removable rim, may belsecured to the' fixed rim oi the vehicle wheel.

It is well known that it is very difiicult to In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view through the outside portion of a wheel, showing my in-v vention applied thereto. Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are similar views, showing modified forms.

l Fig. 7 is a side view, showing art of a wheel,

with my invention applied t ereto. Fig. 8 is a side view of a portion of thewheel, partly in section, showing a modified form. y

a2 designates the felly, usually made of wood, and a the fixed rim secured thereto, usually made of steel. In the form shown in Fig. 1, the fixed'rim has a flat portion, extending the width of the felly, and an outwardly 'nclined ortion b, terminatingyin curved ortions forming' hooks against which one side of the removable rim may be forced, andserving as an abutment therefor. 1 ldesignates the removable rim,preferably made of metal, as steel, and having inwardly curved flanges 2 for receiving and holding the inflated tire 3. A .-5

Each of the sprin clamps which'y are used to hold the remova le rim, carrying the inflated tire, consists of a horizontal tongue e,

a vertical portion c and a curved portion c,-

Vy.inner edge under beveled, Vso that it may be readily inserted between the fixed rim and the removable rim. The portion c is pci'- forated, to permit the assage therethrough of the'securing bolt, t e perforation being lar er than the bolt.

j represents one of -the seeurinor bolts, W ich passes through the fellyaz, an is ro- .Vided with a nut f and a head g, bevele ofi' so as to fit against the part b ofthe fixed rim and having an extension through which a screw g passes, securing the bolt head g to the felly a2. If desired, the part 'i may be made as an extension projecting inwardly from the fixed rim, and the kbolt f Vmay pass through a erforation in said extension as shown in (Fig. 4). The iixed rim a is also rovided'with a projection a', which extends inwardly, formin a shoulder against which one side of the fe y al rests. y

The form shown in Fig. 2 differsfrom that shown in Fig. 1 in that the fixed rim a has a rojecting portion b2 at right angles to the ed rim, which rojection forms an abutment for one si e of the removable rim. Similarly the form shown in Fig. 3 differs from that shown in Fig. 1 merely in the shape of the abutment on the ixed rim.

In the form shown 'in Fig. 4, which is ofthe bicycle type of wheel, the felly is omitted and the iixed rim is provided withinwardly rojectino' extensions h and i, and the` bo ts f pass through perforations in said extensions.

In the' form shown in Fig. 5, the spring clamps have no horizontal portions, but each A is made of a piece of steel, the outer part of --which is bent as in the previously described forms and the inner art of which is bent inward] to rest against the felly a2. The remova le rim, in this modiiication, haslan inwardly extending rib j, to properly position the removable rim upon the fixed rim.

In the form shown in Fig. 6, the removable rim is made as in Figs. 1-4, the spring clamps as in Fig. 5, but bolts c are provide passing the 'fixed rim. In putting on a new rim, with an inflated tire thereon, these steps are carried out in the reverse order. 'f

It should be noted that the spring clamps are not wedges in any sense but are merely clamps. 'When the nuts f are screwed home, the inner part of the clamp contacts withl the vouter part of the removable rim in only two points, c and d. The horizontal portion of the clamp e lis sim ly a fiat plate, except that its edge is under eveled in order that it may be easily inserted between the `removable rim and the fixed rim, and does not wedge the two rims apart from each other. Iurthermore as the nuts f are screwed home, inasmuch as the lower part c of the clamp is practically unsupported, the

pressure of the nut upon the clamp causing the clamp to strike the flange of the removable rim, would tend to make the clamp revolve about the inner part of the tongue e. The result is that these clamps exert a spring action (although they are made of strong pieces of steel) upon the removable rim and do not in any way act as wedges. The s ring action exerted by the clamp on the nut 1s the combination of the action exerted by the removable rim and the clamp proportionately to their elasticity and to the deformation they take under the pressure exerted by the tightening of the nut. Referring to the form shown in Fig. 3, for example, before the nut f is tightened the oints c and d are in contact with the remova le rim. In tightening the nut, the upper part of the clamp itself cannot advance as it is blocked by the removable rim, which in turn is held by the opposite edge ofthe permanent rim. The internal part of the clamp is thus raised and the edge m of the tongue e rises until it comes in contact with the internal face of the removable rim 1. It is at this moment that the spring action commences to be exerted. A further tightening of the nut f forces t e removable rim and the tongue e to defo'rm proportionately to their elasticity, and the more the nut f is tightened, the greater will be the deformation.' Consequently, when all the clamps are spaced and properly tightened, there is exerted on the pomt m of the tongue e of each of these clamps a ressure directed toward the center of the W eel, which tends to revolve the clamp around the oint c in the opposite direction from its flDrst movement. This forces the lower part c of the clamp strongly against the nut f and'prevents it from becoming loosened. f I claim:- y l 1. In a vehicle wheel, the combination of a fixed rim provided with a part which acts as having a part which acts as an abutment, a

removable rim having an inflated tire thereon and adapted 'to be slipped over said fixed rim, bolts passing through said folly and provided with nuts, and a series of spring clamps mounted on said bolts, said clamps having portions adapted to engage said removable rim and force it against the abutment 4on said fixed rim, substantially as described.

3. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with the felly, of a metal rim fixed thereto, said metal rim having inwardly curved portions on one side which act as .abutnients, bolts passing through said felly inside o'l' the fixed rim, a removable rim having inwardly curved flanges, an inflated ltire carried by said removable rim, and a series of spring clamps each having a curved portion to engage one of the flanges on the removable rim, whereby said removable rim is firmly held between said clamps and the curved portion of the fixed rim, substantially as described.

4. In a vehiclewheel, the combination of thefelly, a fixed metal rim'carried thereby,

said rim having an inwardly bent flange on one side engaging said felly, and on the other side being provided with inwardly curved flanges forming abutments, a removable rim having inwardly curved flanges, an inflated tire carriedv by said removable rim, bolts said bolts eing rovided with a nut, and a series of s ring c amps, each clamp having a horizonta tongue, a perforated vertical por- Ition engaging one of said nuts, and a curved portion engaging one of the flanges of the removable rim, whereby .as` the nuts Iare screwed home, the removable rim is firmly held between said spring clamps and the projections on the fixed rim, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence ol' two witnesses.

A ANDR JULs MiouELiN.

Vlitnesses:

R.. H. BRANDON, HANsoN C. Coxn.

assing through said felly, each of 

